Automatic braking mechanism for motor cars



Feb. 22, 1927 18,236

J. C. SNODGRA$$ AUTOMATIC BRAKING MECHANISM FOR MOTOR CARS Filed y 20, 1926 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 gmvemtoz Feb. 22,1927. 8

J. c. S NODGRASS AUTOMATIC BRAKING MECHANISM FOR MOT-OR CARS Filed July 20, 1926 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 $547514 C Java mas JOSEPH C. SNODGRASS, OE NASHVILLE, TENNESSEE, ASSJGNOR OF TEREE-EIGI-ITI-IS TO ALBERT R. TALLMAN AND TWO-EIGH'IHS TO BEVERLY R. MGKINNIE, BOTH 0E NASHVILLE, TENNESSEE.

AUTOMATIC BRAKING MECHANISM FOR MOTOR CARS.

. Application filed July 20, 1926. Serial No. 123,725.

My invention relates to brakes, more especially for motor vehicles or automobiles, and has for its object, to provide an automatic braking mechanism whichis throttle or accelerator controlled, forming part of the vacuum system and throttle controlled either through a hand throttle lever or through a foot pedal of the accelerator. The invention consists in the features hereinafter described and then sought to be clearly defined by the claims, reference being had to the accompanying drawings showing the preferred embodiment of the invention, and in which Figure 1 is a side elevation of a car with portions omitted and illustrating the application of this invention;

Figure 2 is a side elevation of the vacuum chamber;

Figure 3 is an end view of Figure 2;

Figure 4 is a vertical section through the vacuum chamber showing position of the port valves when brakes are set;

Figure is a vertical section showing position of the port valves when the brakes are released and the car standing at rest;

Figure 6 is a vertical section showing position of the port valves when the brakes are released;

Figure 7 is a section on line 77 of Figure Figure 8 is a front view of the brake mechanism diaphragm chamber;

Figure 9 is a section through the chamher and showing a bell crank lever for connecting the diaphragm to the brake rods.

In the drawings the numeral 1 designates a vacuum tank, 2 a carburetor, 3 a manifold, 4 a vacuum lead pipe, and 5, 6, 7, 8, and 9 a conventional representation of a throttle mechanism for controlling the supply of fuel or gas for the engine, which several parts may be of any approved well known type and the showing made is suflicient for the purpose of illustrating the application of the present invention and therefore need not be more fully illustrated and described.

Under the present invention there is as sociated with the rotatable shaft 10 and foot pedal 11', which may correspond to the foot pedal of an automobile accelerator, a shell or casing 12 supported by angle-plates 13, or otherwise, from a suitable part of the car. which has a pipe 14 in communication at one end with the Vacuum portion of the system, say, with the intake of the manifold, as illustrated, and the other end in communication with the chamber of casing 12, and another pipe 15 leads from a port 16 of the casing to a diaphragm-chamber 17 supported by angle-plates 18, or otherwise, from a suitable part of the car, the flexible. diaphragm 19 of the chamber being suitably connected with the brakes of the car, for instance by the links or rods 20, rocking arm or lever 21, and retracting spring 22. The shaft 10 has fixed thereto to rotate therewith an arm 23, and at one side of arm 23 the shaft carries a loosely mounted arm 24 formed with a shoulder 25 and having a valve 26 to control the port 27 formed in the casing and opening to atmosphere, and at the opposite side of arm 23 there is loosely mounted on the shaft an arm 28 having a stud or pin 29 in the path of the stud 30 carried by arm 23 and also having a valve 31 for the port 16. A spring 32 bears at one end against the arm 28 and at the other end against a part of the casing, which may be the nipple which couples the vacuum lead pipe 14 to the casing, and'a spring 33 bears at one end against the valve carrying end of the arm 24 and at the other end against the adjacent end of arm 23, as illustrated in Figures 4 to 7 of the drawings. When the throttle is closed and the car not running, ports 16 and 27 are closed by the valves 26 and 31 under the tension of the springs 33 and 32, respectively, as illustrated in Figure 5. When the car is running, with the foot of the operator on the pedal corresponding to the accelerator pedal. or the operator actuates the lever 84 controlling the throttle,'so as to open the throttle for the feed of fuel or gas, the arm 23 is moved to the position shown in Figure 6 and its stud 30 bearing against shoulder 25 of arm 24 moves the latter to the position to open port 27 to break the vacuum in the chamber of casing 12, while valve 31 isin position to close port 16, from which pipe 1.4 leads to the manifold, and held so by spring 32 so that the vacuum system is cut-off and vacuum in casing chamber 12 and in the valve-diaphragm chamber 17 is broken and the brakes are placed in released position under the influence of spring 22. W'Vhen the supply of gas is cut-,otl'wfrom the engine by closing the throttle by manipulation [of ithi?v throttle 1ever, or by removing the foot from the pedal lever corresponding to the accelerator pedal, and 'restorati0n of parts to normal position under the influence of spring 7, the arm 23, by rotation of its shaft 10, is moved to the position shown in Figure .4 and through spring 38 the valve 26 closes port 27, to atmosphere, and arm 28 inoves to the position indicated in Figure 4 by stud 30 of arm 23 pressing against pin 29 otarm 28 so as to gen, port 16. andf permit the vacuuin 'in casing lfi deriyed through itsconnectlon ivith the. vacuum system or manifold to exert itself in the diaphragm chamber 17 and "on the flexible clia Jhragm of that chamber se tistofpiill on tie'brake'rodsand apply thebrahes I p p ill he perceived. from the foregoing thatthe.bral efmechanismof the car is actua ted by or from the vacuum created in the manifold or otherwise, and'th'atjtlie control is effected through or from manipulation of the throttle which controls the supply of moreorless gas to the engine according as itismoved by either the throttleihand lover or by y the [accelerator ,pedal, and thus the operationof the brake mechanis1n,,is auto matic, following the operation of the throttle. r.

,When the phrase throttle control is used hereiirit has reference to means employed for controlling the supply of the :tuel or to theengi ne for running or operating the carg and the phrase vacuum control reference to a vacuum crcaiedfthrough the manifold, or otherwise, and employed for, ap.plyi ng .ancl releasing the brakes or braking mechanism of the car.

:Before closing it may be mentioned that there isa slight movement or rocking of the rm'23 under a yielding pressure, before itsfstiid 30'is brought vinto earing contact with the pin 29 of arm '28'to open valve 31, thus permitting a more orless gradual Opening and closing of the throttle and also of Qhicles com'prising a vacuuin chamber conne cted 'vvith brakesettin, ;.,and release mechanism and having ayalvecontrolled port through which a vacuum is created in the chamber.jand a valve-controlled vacuumbreaking port, and means cooperatively convaciinin control ofthe braking mechanism Without detracting from efiicient 'promptness of act on. 1

.Thile I liayeillnstrated and described the preferred embodiment of the'invention and constrfuc'tion of the individual elements or units thereof it is to. be un derstood that changes or variations maybe made therein Without departing from essential features ofthe invention advancing the hand lever of'the throttle slightly the operation of the partsias described may be rn'ade,,for the timefin opcrative, and the car may be run independently. of the automatic braking mechanism.

Having described my invention and set forth its merits What I claim'is: V l. A braking mechanism for m otor vehicles comprising means to-r creating a We uum, means for a 'pplying theyac'uum for actuating the brakes, means for breaking the. vacuum. to releasethe brakes, and a throttle control 'fue'l'supply cooperatively associated. iththe vacuum control for applying the vacuum to set the brakes when the throttle is in one position and, breaking the vacuum release the ,brakes when. the throttle is in another position. p

2. QA braking mechanism for motor vehicles comprising a v cuum creating means, a vacuum brakesetting mea11s,,a vacuum chamber in comunnication 'With the vacuum brake-setting meansa'nd in valve-controlled communication with the vacuunrcreating means, and a .throttle control? ,ope'ratively connected With. the valve of the vacuum chamber to open and closecommunication with .the vacuum creating means.

3. A braking mechanism for motor vehicles comprising a vacuum'creating means, a vacuum brake-setting means, a vacuum chamber in communication with the vacuum brake-setting means, a valve controlled port tothe vacuum chamber, and a throttle control operatively connected with said Valve to break thefvacuum between the chamber and the vacuum brake-setting means for releasing the. brake.

i. A braking mechanism for motor 'vehicles comprising a vacuum creating means, a vacuum brake-setting means, a vacuum chamber having valve controlled comnnu nication ith. the "vacuum creatin'g means andprovided With a vacuumbreakil lg' Valve, and,a,-tl 1rottle control operatively, connected with said valves to operate one to control communication bet veenthe chamber and vacuum creating meaas'and to operate the other to breakthevacunmin the chambera'rid the vacuum brake-Setting means.

5. A braking ,mechanism for motor ,ve-

nected with said valvesto open the vacuum creating port and close the vacuum 'break ,ing port in setting the brakes, land to close the vacuum creating port and open the yacuum breaking port in "releasing the brakes.

In testimony whereof I aih'X my signature.

'Josnrn "o. snoneeass. 

